The Flycatcher (KL/MSS-6720) radarsystem is a dual I/J/K-Band short range

air defense Anti-aircraft warfare (AAW) is the counter to aerial warfare and includes "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It encompasses surface-based, subsurface (Submarine#Armament, submarine-lau ...

fire control system A fire-control system (FCS) is a number of components working together, usually a gun data computer, a Director (military), director and radar, which is designed to assist a ranged weapon system to target, track, and hit a target. It performs th ...

. It has an all-weather capability and track-while-scan capability and can simultaneously control three anti-aircraft guns or SAM

rocket launchers A rocket launcher is a weapon that launches an rocket (weapon), unguided, rocket-propelled projectile. History The earliest rocket launchers documented in History of China#Ancient China, imperial China consisted of arrows modified by the a ...

. The radar system used in the Flycatcher is identical to the system used in the PRTL/Cheetah, the Dutch version of the self-propelled anti-aircraft gun Gepard. The Goalkeeper CIWS uses a similar radar system. The Flycatcher was developed by Hollandse Signaal Apparaten B.V. or in short Signaal or HSA (now Thales Nederland) as

successor Successor may refer to: * An entity that comes after another (see Succession (disambiguation)) Film and TV * ''The Successor'' (1996 film), a film including Laura Girling * The Successor (2023 film), a French drama film * ''The Successor'' ( ...

for their successful L4/5 (KL/MSS-3012)

Description

The Flycatcher system is contained within a towed trailer. Mounted on the roof of it are a search radar and a tracking radar with coaxial passive daylight TV tracking system. The Flycatcher system is built into a standard military Craig container, with a semi-detachable trailer bogey. The antennas are retractable to facilitate air transport the Flycatcher, either as a slung load or as fixed wing cargo. The operator's compartment and the electronics are protected by the controlled environment provided by the Craig shelter. The container houses a crew of two, and a power generator is attached to the front of the container. Guns or launchers are connected to the Flycatcher with a regular infantry field wire. Maximum distance from the Flycatcher to the guns or launchers is ±1000 metres. An unobstructed line-of-sight is required between the Flycatcher and each guns or launcher in order to align the gun or launcher with the Flycatcher. Ballistic factors such as

temperature Temperature is a physical quantity that quantitatively expresses the attribute of hotness or coldness. Temperature is measurement, measured with a thermometer. It reflects the average kinetic energy of the vibrating and colliding atoms making ...

humidity Humidity is the concentration of water vapor present in the air. Water vapor, the gaseous state of water, is generally invisible to the human eye. Humidity indicates the likelihood for precipitation (meteorology), precipitation, dew, or fog t ...

wind direction Wind direction is generally reported by the direction from which the wind originates. For example, a ''north'' or ''northerly'' wind blows from the north to the south; the exceptions are onshore winds (blowing onto the shore from the water) and ...

and

velocity Velocity is a measurement of speed in a certain direction of motion. It is a fundamental concept in kinematics, the branch of classical mechanics that describes the motion of physical objects. Velocity is a vector (geometry), vector Physical q ...

as well as gun data such as

muzzle velocity Muzzle velocity is the speed of a projectile (bullet, pellet, slug, ball/ shots or shell) with respect to the muzzle at the moment it leaves the end of a gun's barrel (i.e. the muzzle). Firearm muzzle velocities range from approximately t ...

are manually or via

sensor A sensor is often defined as a device that receives and responds to a signal or stimulus. The stimulus is the quantity, property, or condition that is sensed and converted into electrical signal. In the broadest definition, a sensor is a devi ...

interface entered into the fire-control system of the Flycatcher. Using the tracking radar system to track a

weather balloon A weather balloon, also known as a sounding balloon, is a balloon (specifically a type of high-altitude balloon) that carries instruments to the stratosphere to send back information on atmospheric pressure, temperature, humidity and wind spe ...

, the Flycatcher can obtain on-the-spot wind speed and direction.

Operational history

Netherlands

The KL/MSS-6720 Flycatcher radar system is in use by the

Royal Netherlands Air Force The Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF; , "Royal Air Force") is the military aviation branch of the Netherlands Armed Forces. It was created in 1953 to succeed its predecessor, the ''Luchtvaartafdeling'' () of the Dutch Army, which was founded ...

since 1979. The 25

Flycatchers are used in a very short range air defence ( VSHORAD) configuration in combination with modified Bofors 40L70 guns. They were used for static air base defense. Thirty Flycatcher systems were supplied to the

Royal Netherlands Army The Royal Netherlands Army (, KL) is the Ground warfare, land branch of the Netherlands Armed Forces. Though the Royal Netherlands Army was raised on 9 January 1814, its origins date back to 1572, when the was raised making the Dutch standing a ...

under a contract placed in early 1987. Production, which commenced immediately, result ed in the first units being delivered in April 1989. Deliveries were completed within 36 months. The

Flycatchers are used in combination with modified Bofors 40L70 guns.

India

In August 1985

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

ordered the Signaal Flycatcher, although only a limited number was built in the Netherlands. Extensive production of Flycatcher for the

Indian Armed Forces The Indian Armed Forces are the armed forces, military forces of the India, Republic of India. It consists of three professional uniformed services: the Indian Army, the Indian Navy, and the Indian Air Force.—— Additionally, the Indian Ar ...

is being undertaken by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) . The Indian Flycatchers were to be deployed with Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun and Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/70 AA guns, but might also be used to guide the Trishul

Surface-to-air missile A surface-to-air missile (SAM), also known as a ground-to-air missile (GTAM) or surface-to-air guided weapon (SAGW), is a missile designed to be launched from the ground or the sea to destroy aircraft or other missiles. It is one type of anti-ai ...

United States

The

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

acquired one copy of the Flycatcher fire control system, which was delivered to the

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...

in mid-1984. Trials have been conducted with the system in the Nevada desert. There have been no further developments.

Thailand

Twelve Flycatcher systems were ordered by

Thailand Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...

in 1981. Some are deployed on a basis of one radar supporting a battery of six gun mountings. In 2005 the Netherlands Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced the delivery of eight Flycatcher search and tracking radar fire-control systems for low-level air defense with 16 Bofors Defense 40 mm L/70 guns to Thailand through

Thales Thales of Miletus ( ; ; ) was an Ancient Greek philosophy, Ancient Greek Pre-Socratic philosophy, pre-Socratic Philosophy, philosopher from Miletus in Ionia, Asia Minor. Thales was one of the Seven Sages of Greece, Seven Sages, founding figure ...

. In a second deal, the MoD has sold 13

Flycatcher radar systems, 34 Bofors 40 mm L/70 guns and a training simulator to

. The Hengelo, Netherlands-based company will sell-on eight of these Flycatchers and 16 guns to Thailand.

Operators

* - Marines * – 248 Under License; 12 Procured From OEM (Mass - produced under license by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL)). * – 8; bought second hand from Dutch armed forces in 2003 * (

) - 30 * (

) - 25 * - 28; 12 in 1981 plus 16 former Dutch Flycatchers bought second hand in 2005 * - 24 * - 18Jane's Land-Based Air Defence 1992-93, P44 * (

) - 1